


Good Kings and Brave Captains

by RosiePaw



Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Holidays
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-24
Updated: 2012-12-24
Packaged: 2017-11-22 07:13:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/607204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RosiePaw/pseuds/RosiePaw
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Someone's been playing Christmas carols for Thor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Good Kings and Brave Captains

"Brave Captain, when is your feast?  The prospect of a feast devoted to delivering meat and wine to those in need pleases me greatly.  I desire from the bowels of my heart to take part in these proceedings."

Steve looked up from his bowl of cornflakes and blinked.

Tony, occupied in draining the last of the coffee pot, was less baffled.  "Who’s been playing Christmas carols for Thor?"

"Besides every shopping mall in the city?" Clint pointed out from the top of the refrigerator.  "It could have been worse.  It could have been Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer."

"I have heard that song as well.  And verily, Friend Tony, having heard its verses, I must ask you explain your use of the phrase ‘reindeer games’ to refer to my brother.  But we distract ourselves from the main purpose of this conversation.  Prithee, Captain Steven, on what date shall your feast be held?"

Clint began to hum a familiar melody.

"Thanks, Clint, I got it," said Steve.  "It’s not _my_ feast, really, it’s the feast of the saint, uh, holy man my parents named me after.  December 26."

"And shall not our company go forth as did the good king?"  Thor was nothing if not persistent.

"Soup kitchens," suggested Tony.

"Have you ever _been_ in a soup kitchen, Tony, especially at this time of year?  For many people, it’s not only a hot meal and maybe the _only_ meal they’ll have all day – it’s also a chance to spend some time someplace warm.  So everyone wants to stay as long as they can but there’s always more people showing up to be fed.  It can be like controlled cha-"

Steve broke off, flushing when he realized that his teammates were now staring at him.

"Right," said Tony.  "The Depression.  You and your mother.  Or you and Bucky.  Soup kitchen connoisseurs.  Ow!  Tasha!"

Natasha shrugged.  "You are standing between me and my yogurt.  And you interrupted Steve."

Everyone ignored Tony’s muttered, "Did not."

"Look, six well-intentioned but untrained volunteers showing up unannounced are going to be more of a nuisance than a help," said Steve firmly.  "We need to..."

"Strategize!" announced Tony.  "And plan.  And maybe donate some money to buy extra food in case we draw a larger crowd than usual.  Fortunately I’m a billionaire philanthropist, which takes care of the money part, _and_ I know this guy who’s all about strategy and planning, what was his name?  Major?  Colonel?  Roberts, or maybe Richards, or...  Ulp!  Thor!  Put me down!"

Thor did so only after administering a hug that would have made a bear blush.

"Okay, strategy," Steve conceded.  "JARVIS, can you help me draw up a list of local soup kitchens and sort through them, contact the ones who might be up for working with us on this?"

"I would be honoured, Captain."

That, my children, is how the Avengers came to spend the better part of December 26 volunteering at a soup kitchen in Brooklyn – except for Bruce.  The kitchen manager had a brother who’d come back from Nam with PTSD.  When Tony explained that Bruce had had "a bad experience with the Army" and didn’t handle crowds and noise well, she nodded and assigned him to work with the volunteers who were making door-to-door deliveries to shut-ins instead.

And a good time was had by all.

Even Tony, who got mashed turnip in his beard.


End file.
